FTC Accuses Doctors Of Price-Fixing

Law360, New York (August 24, 2006, 12:00 AM EDT) -- The Federal Trade Commission is looking to stop two independent practice associations (IPAs) in Kansas City from negotiating with health plan providers on their physicians’ behalf.

The move is necessary, the FTC said Thursday, because the IPAs and 18 of their physician practice groups had collectively negotiated price terms in violation of antitrust laws.

“Legitimate joint contracting arrangements among competing physicians can be lawful and procompetitive,” said Jeffrey Schmidt, the director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “The physicians in this case went too far, however,...